Umpiring is not that difficult

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Striker991

Nope...you just topped it with this one. One of the biggest attributes of internet umpires that think very highly of themselves and overrate their importance to the actual game is their lack of common sense. You, with this post and many others, have proven that stereotype to be completely and utterly true.

You have missed Pete's point entirely, mainly because of your own arrogance.

No, I didn't miss Pete's point, but you apparently missed mine.

I am arrogant enough to believe that when one becomes an umpire, he owes it to the players, coaches, fans, partners and the "game" itself to be the best he can be at the level he is working. Unlike some here, my moto is not "dare to be adequate."

I have done this long enough to have seen the results of "ANYONE can be an umpire." They can be tragic for the game and for the umpire.

At the most basic level. umpires must be capable of good and quick judgement, physical agility, rule memorization and understanding, and game managment skills. If you've lived on this planet longer than ten years, you must have come across someone who does not fit this discription. Hell, you can see them on some youth fields every weekend. I've seen a LL umpire walk out of a game in the second inning out of frustration, not to return. Does he fit your expectation of an umpire?